Themes

The Archive

Houser, George M.

b. 1916

George M. Houser, a Methodist minister and pacifist, was a founder of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) and The Africa Fund. As a student at Union Theological Seminary, Houser was arrested for publicly protesting draft registration and served a year in prison. He was active with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) in Chicago, working with Bayard Rustin and James Farmer to found CORE and organize nonviolent direct action against segregation. This included the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation integrated bus trip to the South, the first Freedom Ride. In the early 1950s, Houser focused on African liberation struggles and opposition to apartheid. Houser prepared Dr. King and other African American leaders for their 1962 meeting with President Kennedy about U.S. policy toward Africa. At a Human Rights Day rally organized by Houser in 1965, King called for an international boycott of South Africa. In 1989, Houser published his autobiography No One Can Stop the Rain.

This form letter informs and invites the recipients to attend functions sponsored by the American Committee on Africa in protest against Chase Manhattan Bank's financial relationship with the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Benjamin Brown details the structure of the latest publication from the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The CORE Guide to Negro History will be a composite of contributing essays, pictures, prized Negro literature and evaluations of social progress by current civil rights leaders. Beacon Press is listed as the potential publisher for the groundbreaking book.

Mr. Miittlestadt praises Dr. King for utilizing the "Gandhian technique of Satygagraha" in the Civil Rights Movement. He relates Dr. King to Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Mr. Mittlestadt also discusses the downfall of CORE, encloses a donation, and requests a photograph of Dr. King.

George M. Houser, Executive Director of the American Committee on Africa, informs readers of the International Olympic Committee's upcoming meeting that will discuss the 1968 Olympics. Mr. Houser encloses a paper regarding the history of South Africa and the Olympics to help urge the committee to reconsider granting South Africa permission to participate in the Olympics.

CONGO / ZAIRE, ANGOLA, SOUTH AFRICA, New York, NY, New York (NY), UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The American Committee on Africa hosts a human rights rally and benefit on behalf of the victims of South African Apartheid. This program provides a brief history and overall purpose of the committee and outlines the projected schedule of events.

George Houser of the American Committee on Africa urges Dr. King to telegram the President about Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of independence. The Rhodesian government, under Prime Minister Ian Smith, took this illegal action to break from the United Kingdom after days of negotiation with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The British sought to give blacks a fair share of power.

In this telegram, dated April 12, 1966, Mr. Houser requests Dr. King's help in leading a march on First National Bank of New York. Due to bank loans to South Africa, several hundred students are showing support by withdrawing their accounts.